Costa Rica, a daring adventure in the time of a pandemic. Yes, I did it and it was great! Our group was small and we all had vaccinations and agreed to be tested before leaving CR. This was a three part trip. First we flew into San Jose and transported to Monteverde for a few days of hiking and exploring the cloud forest there. I climbed a very steep lookout and did literally find myself swaying in the wind in the clouds, which was rather scary. Secondly we transported to a hotel near La Fortuna via jeep and boat. We viewed the Arenal Volcano, walked hanging bridges and ziplined through the forest. I was particularly proud of the fact that I ziplined. These were the highest of ziplines in the country and I did seven of them in a row. Some over a mile long. My heart was in my throat but I gutted up and did it. How crazy is that? Our hotel, Tabacon, had lovely pools on the premises which were naturally fed by the springs. However dining was limited. We ventured into La Fortuna and found better dining experiences. On the Safari Float trip we saw glimpses of wildlife and howling monkeys. Afterward our guides took us to a ranch/farm house where we were served refreshments. Sweet humble people in Costa Rica. I saw poverty but in general life felt very peaceful among the population we encountered. Our third destination was to the Manuel Antonio beach area. We had reserved condos at Los Altos that overlooked the beach on a cliff. Our condo was huge! However we didn’t dwell there for long. Time was spent in the pool drinking pina coladas! Otherwise in the few days we had there, we hiked down to the Manuel Antonio National Park, swam in the ocean, and took photos of monkeys, iguanas and sloths. No lack of wildlife in this country! A very special highlight for me was going on the Nauyaca Falls tour. Only about half of us did this. It was very rocky hiking to get to the Falls which had two levels. The highest level falls was surrounded by huge boulders and I could only admire from a distance. The second level of the falls was perfect, with a nice size, deep pool into which the water cascaded. We spent hours there (about 8 of us). Some rubber inner tubes were on site and I grabbed one and soaked for a long time in that pool. Pure bliss and beauty. A great way to end the trip. Our guides were wonderful and planned for us to have lunch at a small roadside cafe afterward. Again, sweet, humble people who are pleased to have you there. On the dining out side, Ronny’s Place near Quepos was the best! Casual and inexpensive. The view was fantastic, they serve flaming dishes, and if you get there before dark you’ll see and hear a pair of macaws, colorful and loud, flying in circles easily visible from the open air balcony. Our closing dinner was at Los Altos. We were served royally since there were very few other parties vacationing there; one small advantage of traveling in a pandemic.
